Myanmar Press Council

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In a clear step backwards for press freedom in Burma, new
legislation will give the government censorship powers and the sole authority
to issue and revoke news publication licenses. While the legislation enshrines
into law broad press freedom guarantees, specific provisions will give the
Ministry of Information ultimate power over what news is permissible for
publication.

The media landscape in Burma is more open than ever, as
President Thein Sein releases imprisoned journalists and abolishes the former
censorship regime. But many threats and obstacles to truly unfettered reporting
remain, including restrictive laws held over from the previous military regime.
The wider government’s commitment to a more open reporting environment is in
doubt. A CPJ special report by Shawn W.
Crispin

Early
moves by Thein Sein to ease Internet censorship are viewed as a limited
concession to press freedom, since Burma has one of the lowest Internet
penetration rates in the world. Now, planned foreign investments in mobile
infrastructure promise to expand access, but a draft telecommunications law
would leave intact many of the vague legal restrictions used to curb online
freedoms in the past. By Shawn
W. Crispin

Burmese President Thein Sein made a historic visit to the
White House on May 19, the latest in a series of high-level symbolic exchanges
between the two nations. While Thein Sein has been regularly commended by U.S.
officials for his broad democratic reform program, President Barack Obama's
praise this week overlooked a significant backtracking on promised
media-related reforms.